A ‘triple-whammy’ tribute gig is being held in honour of a talented musician who suffered a tragic death last year.

Five former members of Mick Rogers' bands are coming together for the concert this weekend at Eleven music venue in Tunstall.

The singer and guitarist had a strong following in Stoke-on-Trent through the 80s and 90s with his bands the Batwing Chaps, Wooden Shirt and Grasshouse and supported acts like Culture Club at gigs in Hanley’s Victoria Hall.

Read More

After Grasshouse split up in the early 90s people in the Potteries thought he’d packed away his guitar for good. He especially swore he would never play in a cover band, and he didn’t – but he continued writing songs.

His former Batwing Chaps bandmate Rob Hoggett spent almost a decade trying to persuade Mick, from Leek, to reform Grasshouse.

The Batwing Chaps outside The Place in Hanley in 1982

And finally in 2015 the band reunited and played their first gig at the Thistleberry in Newcastle in June last year.

But the phenomenal response Grasshouse received was cut short all too soon, when Rob realised something was very wrong with Mick.

Rob, aged 57, from Forsbrook, said: “Although he’d packed in his job some time before we reformed, it turned out he’d contracted hepatitis C at work. He then developed cirrhosis – a scarring of the liver.”

Read More

Rob, who is playing drums at the concert, added: “The ward took such great care of Mick.

“We'd have given it all but we know that it was a massive bugbear of Mick's how badly musicians are paid and he would have insisted on us taking at least a bit for our trouble!

“Five of us have all played in at least one of the three bands and we’ve been rehearsing like mad these last eight months. There are still a lot of people in the area who will be fans, so we want to try and reach as many of them as possible.”

Read More

The Shirthouse Chaps will be performing at the Eleven music venue in Tunstall on Saturday, October 28. Doors open at 7pm and music starts at 8pm. Tickets cost £5 and are available on the door. You can listen to some of the band's music here.